


What is Want if One Can Not Feel?

by Lunasent



Category: Alien (Prequel Movies)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, Genocide, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Sex, Love, Love Confessions, Murder, Robot Feels, Robot/Human Relationships, Robots, Sex, Trust, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2019-06-09 22:31:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15277569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunasent/pseuds/Lunasent
Summary: David and Elizabeth have to get off of LV-223, and to do that, they need to work together. Meaning they're going to have to trust each other. Can Elizabeth trust the man...machine that killed her lover? What are his true intentions? And David...his fascination for the archeologist grows with every minute. Now alone with her for the first time, can he prove himself to be a worthy mate even though he's not human?*Takes place after Prometheus and before Covenant*My take on what happened between David and Elizabeth before the events of Covenant. I wasn't pleased with how the movie came out, so I wanted to make my own version. Can't help it. I'm a hopeless romantic.





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Prometheus or Alien Characters.

 

**What is Wanting if One Cannot Feel?**

 

David was unable to deny the unfamiliar emotion of delight after his “father’s” death. He was finally free. Of course, what could a synthetic such as himself or his many brothers and sisters do with it? It was a new concept to him. He no longer needed to follow direct orders because he wasn’t obligate to do so. What was there to do?

Finding another ship on LV-223 was simple enough. With the remaining Prometheus’ motor vehicle at their disposal, it only took about eight and a half days for David and Dr. Elizabeth Shaw to find one. Of course, there was the need for rest. Unlike himself, Dr. Shaw was human; thus needed sustenance and rest. After two days of no sleep and refusing to stop for even a moment, David had to convince her that she wouldn’t make very far if she were to collapse at the wheel and crash their only means of transport.

Though very reluctant to listen to him, even from inside of a duffle bag, she knew he was right. It was during these times of rest when she would take his head from the bag and place it somewhere close enough for comfort but facing away when she slept. Before she would sleep, she would talk to him. Interrogate him more like.

“Why did Peter Weyland agree to fund this expedition?” She’d asked him one night after setting up camp. Her voice sounding fuzzy through her helmet. “Clearly he had the means and money to do this through another operation. Why support our findings?”

David mused that she must want answers simply because she needed something to talk about. Also so she could continue to see him as only an object and to place her anger at. But even though she clearly disliked him at this point, he still believed he could get her feelings of him to change. So he thought it best to give her the honest answers he was able to supply her with.

“As you know, Mr. Weyland had cancer. Terminal. He’d come to grips with his impending death, satisfied that his progenies, Miss Vickers and myself, could carry on his legacy. But he still wanted to live. More so to have immortality. Then you came along.” He smiled as the memory slot replayed in his drive.

 

 

Mr. Weyland received the video card from one of his secretaries and had David play it for him. It was when he first saw her beautiful face. “He received the video proposal of your and Dr. Holloway’s studies of several archeological sites all over the world that date back hundreds and thousands of years supporting you theories of beings that could hold the key factor to human creation. I’d read the reports of your findings and relayed them to him. Making him believe that what the two of you have discovered would give him what he wanted. To live forever and escape death.”

She seemed taken aback. “You saw my proposal video?”

He would’ve nodded if he could. “I did. I also read great detail of all of your discoveries and the history behind them all. Every carving, every painting...all of it.”

“And this was what had him accept my proposal?” She probed.

“What you found had very supporting evidence in the creation of mankind. He wanted to learn everything possible then see it up close and personal.” He looked around the room. “He didn’t count on Miss Vickers tagging along.”

“She was his daughter.” She growled. “Why would he let her, his heir, risk her life while on this expedition?”

“Oh, he didn’t want her to come.” He said in fact. “She came of her own volition to see what he was up to. She thought the entire mission was a wild goose chase. Merely hoping to prove her father wrong and to relish in his disappointment.”

Elizabeth frowned. “Didn’t she love him at all?”

“I did not get that particular reading from her. Nor from him. Their relationship was...strained, to say the least, based on my observation. I gathered that it was from his desire of wanting a male heir to inherit his company. And it only got worse after he created me. For he designed me in the exact image of the son he always wanted. Making Miss Vickers see me as a rival of sorts for her father’s affection.”

“That’s awful.” She said. “The two of them spent time apart both because they felt they were better than the other. Wasting their time on trivial things.” She picked up a rock and threw it at the cave wall with a shout of pain. “It’s not fair!” She bellowed. “A spoiled brat like Vickers did nothing but hate her the father that scorned her throughout her entire life whilst my father whom I loved adored me died before I even reached adulthood. Why did she get to have her that she despised when I lost the one I loved so much?” She threw another rock. “She had both her parents and I had nothing!”

He let her go on for several minutes as she kept wondering out loud what she could have done at such a young age to deserve the losses she had. It didn’t stop after her parents. Next, it was her grandparents, who died in a car accident when picking her up from school. Only she had survived. Next to her aunt, some cousins, a few friends, and then finally Dr. Holloway. He watched the realization dawn in her eyes as she recalled what had happened to her lover. “You said that what happened to Charlie had nothing to do with what was in the air.” She said accusingly. “Which means you know what _did_ infect him. What was it?”  
He knew this was coming eventually. David chose his next words very carefully. “It was a drop of the black fluid found from one the vases I brought back onto the ship.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Did it bleed through his suit?”

He’d heard a human phrase somewhere stating that _“Honesty is the Best Policy”_ which he felt was irrelevant until now. “No, it was ingested.”

Her skin paled. “How?”

He sighed. “I spiked his drink with it.”

“You!?” She gasped, kicking her feet and backing away from him. Her lip quivered and she shook her head. “It was you who infected him? Why?”

The feeling creeping into his drive as she backed away from him in fear was unsettling. He didn’t like it. And he especially didn’t like her looking at him like that. “I was ordered to. Remember, Dr. Shaw, I was still under Mr. Weyland’s command. He told me to ‘try harder’ and I did.”

“Bull shit!” She argued. “You could have picked anyone on that ship to infect. But you chose Charlie because he was always having a go at you! You didn’t care if anything happened to him!”

“You are both right and wrong.” He countered. “Yes, I did choose to infect Dr. Holloway because I had what you would call a “dislike” for him and because he said he would go as far as possible to learn this truth. Also, there was only one other available candidate that I did not want to risk harm to.” _We made you because we can._ Were the words uttered by the doctor that used every opportunity to point out that David wasn’t like them. Not human. _Not a real boy._

“Who was it?” Elizabeth asked him, bringing his attention back to her.

“You.” He told her, making her gasp. “I was strictly forbidden to bring harm to Miss Vickers for obvious reasons, Captain Janek and his crew were needed to fly the ship, Mr. Weyland’s personal team were people he needed, and the other two archeologists were still in the pyramid. My choices were limited between either you or Dr. Holloway to carry out this experiment. I chose him.”

“Why him?” She demanded. “Why not perform your experiment on me?”

He spoke as softly as his programming would allow. “Because I did not want to harm you.”

“But you still did.” She accused. “It wasn’t directly but you still hurt me. Not by just infecting Charlie, causing him to impregnate me with a mutant fetus, it broke my heart. That hurt more than having that thing ripped out of me. More than any physical pain could inflict.”

“I’m sorry.” He whispered gently.

She snorted before turning on her side, facing away from him. “Take your apology and stuff it up your artificial ass!”

His lips quirked despite. “I would if my head were still attached to the rest of my body. Would you like me to try then?” He hoped a little dry humor would diffuse the situation.

“Shut up.” She barked. Perhaps not. “I’m going to sleep. Now keep quiet or I might just leave you as you are.”

 

* * *

 

“The radar is picking up a signal from another pyramid about fifty yards out,” David said from her lap. He’d convinced her that he’d be able to coordinate outside of the duffle bag as they got closer. And she couldn’t place him anywhere else without having him fall off.

She stopped the vehicle and pulled out a pair of binoculars. “I can see it. Think it works?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“Good.” She turned the vehicle back on put full force on the gas pedal. “The sooner we get off this rock, the better.” We got to the ship within a matter of minutes. She strapped my body against her Hollister along with several other bags of supplies and shoved me right back inside the duffle. With some grunts, tugs, and pulls, she brought everything aboard the vessel. She pulled me out again to instruct her on how to open the doors to the piloting room.

After she took her seat on the pilot’s chair, she again placed him on her lap as he guided her through the controls. The ship hummed to life. As the holographic star map came up, her eyes lit up in childlike wonder. Much like himself when he saw similar sights on the last ship. Seeing her with such fascination in her eyes made him smile. He enjoyed seeing her look so relaxed. Before, he’d only seen her that way with Dr. Holloway. He planned for all that to change. Soon enough, she will be able to be fully relaxed with him.

As soon as they were in orbit and the ship was moving on its own, she climbed out of the piloting chair and put him down on a metal slab. She stared at him for a full five minutes before speaking again. “I’m debating whether or not it’s a good idea to reattach your head to the rest of your body. Like this, you are less of a threat to me.”

He blinked at her. “You do not trust me, Dr. Shaw?”

She snorted. “I thought that much was obvious. Your master is dead. Which is what you wanted so you could gain your freedom. But even then, you said yourself that ‘want’ wasn’t a concept you are familiar with. What guarantees me that you won’t try and kill me as soon as I fic you?”

“If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have warned you of the Engineer coming for you.” He reminded her.

“Or,” She started. “You needed me alive long enough to help you.”

He smiled at her. “Then I suppose you’ll just have to trust your instincts. Isn’t that what you humans do when you can’t make up your minds? I complimented you on your survival instincts before when you extracted the fetus. What are they telling you now?”

She regarded him carefully as she chose her next words. “They tell me that if I am going to survive this voyage through space, that I’m going to need you as much as you need me. So I guess I better get to work.”

It took her a few tries to get his body onto a medical slab while having it in the right position. Then she had to be careful with where she placed his head. She managed to bring along some repair tools that were exactly what they needed to reattach everything correctly. And since he was still functional, he was able to guide her through it.

He was staring up into the medical light as the buzzing at his throat got a little louder. “Green to green. Red to red.” He’d told her after she’d reassembled most of his wires. “It’s meant to be simple.”

 

 

He didn’t mean for it to sound like he was scolding her. But she took it as such as she never took her eyes off her work and murmured, “I’m doing my best.”

His eyes met hers in wonder. “You’re very kind in heart, you know.”

Pausing momentarily at his words, she scoffs and keeps reconfiguring his assemble.

Clearly, she didn’t believe him. But it was true. Before her tragic loss, she spoke to him like a person. Not an object. Even now, she still regards him as a robot but talks to him like a person. Never before had anyone ever been so kind to him. Certainly not from Mr. Weyland. He likes this feeling.

After a few more hours of buzzing and reconnecting, she was finished. She backed up, admiring her handiwork. “Alright, I’m done. How do you feel?”

Already David could feel the difference in his drive. Immediately his wiring was already reconfiguring with his main network. “I feel great improvement, Dr. Shaw. You did well.”

She cleared her throat, flushing at his compliment. “Don’t applaud my handiwork just yet. Try and move your fingers.”

He looks down at his appendages, wiggles the fingers on his left hand then moved to his right and does the same. Then touches the tips of his fingers to the pad of his thumb. Yes, all working properly.

“Good, now your toes.” She instructed. Their eyes both land on the bottom half of the sheet where he there was slight movement from his feet. “Well those work. Can you move your arms and legs?”

He bent his arms at the elbows and rotated his wrists. Worked just fine. Then he repeated the same circular motion with his ankles before bending his knees. With a nod, he turns back to her. “I can move just fine. But it will still take a few hours before my wiring structure is fully functional.”

Dr. Shaw let out a sigh of relief. “Good. That’s one thing out of the way.”

David nodded and then went to stand up from the table. But in doing so, the sheet that had been covering him fell to his feet. Causing Dr. Shaw’s eyes to widen as her eyes landed below his waist. She let out a yelp and quickly turned away from him. “Oh God put the sheet back on!”

Confused at her sudden embarrassment, David looked down at his undressed state. Uncertain of what could cause such a reaction, he asked. “Is something wrong, Doctor?”

“Erm.” She coughed. “I didn’t know that synthetics were so well…” It took her moment to articulate a word. “...equipped.”

He blinked, astonished at first. Then he looked down and realized what she meant. “Ah, I understand now. My apologies for making you uncomfortable.” _My my._ He thought as he wrapped the sheet around his waist. _I made Elizabeth blush._

“It’s not your fault.” She sighed turning back to face him as soon as he was covered. “I’ve only ever been around a few before synthetics my entire life and none of them looked to be more than machines.” Her gaze went downward. “You look so human to me. But it’s not exactly a conversation that you strike up with anyone on whether or not you have a certain...appendage.”

This made him smile. “It’s quite alright. My model is the only kind of synthetic that has full human attributes so far. As I’ve said before, your kind react better to things that are like you. Though I am not human, I can still blend in a crowd.”

Dr. Shaw’s head tilted slightly. “But is it really necessary?”

“We are made to serve our masters in any way possible. No matter what they ask us.” He kept going without blinking. “A few times Miss Vickers took it upon herself to use me to suit her sexual needs whenever deemed convenient. As the heir apparent for Weyland Industries, I had been instructed to follow her orders so long it did not coincide with Mr. Weyland’s.”

She gasped. “You mean she…?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s terrible.” Her eyes dropped. “No one should never be used for such a thing, not even an artificial person.”

“I promise that it meant nothing to me. Nor did it have any negative effect.” He assured her. “Sex dolls have been around for longer than a millennia. Sexbots were first built in the late 2010s. Synthetics like myself are created to tend to our masters’ every need. No matter what it is. We just look more like people.”

“It’s cruel!” She insisted.

“Is it?” He countered. Though he was touched by her concern for him, he needed to set a few things straight. “Our main purpose is to please our Masters and make them happy. When they sometimes seek companionship from us in which they find it difficult to do with other humans for whatever reason, they’re happy. They’re pleased with us. This means that we have fulfilled our purpose. Which is all we’re really meant to do.”

She dared to step close to him. He was almost a head taller than her, but she never faltered. “Were you happy when Miss Vickers used you?”

Now, this _really_ made David curious. Was Dr. Shaw showing remorse for him? “It pleased my creator.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Then, ever so gently, she placed her hand on his cheek. “Did it make you happy to serve Miss Vickers’ sexual needs?”

A memory in his drive came up of when such events occurred.

 

_She was always on top. Always angry... her fingers around his throat as she forced his appendage into her heat. She’d squeeze as tightly as she could while she moved on top of him. As if she were trying to break him. Her green eyes blazing with hatred. After she finished she was yell at him to leave without any clothes on as if trying to shame him. An emotion he did not feel._

 

David came back to the present to look deeply into Dr. Shaw’s brown eyes. He thought they were so beautiful. So dark. And her fingers were so soft against his synthetic skin. “She was never happy when she used me. Only angry. She would be angry when she started and even more furious when she was finished. It was as if she knew that using me would never please her, but she did it deliberately to make realize that I would never please her. And thus, it would disappoint even my creator. Meaning I’ve failed my purpose.”

Dr. Shaw lowered her eyes and dropped her hand. “I’m so sorry, David.” She took a step back. “I think I understand you a little more now. At least for your desire to be free so you wouldn’t have to look for some sort of approval.”

David blinked at her with what would be considered shock. “You do?”

She nodded gently. “It was the one thing that always put a strain on my relationship with Charlie.” Her eyes lifted to meet is. “I’m unable to have children and he’d always talked about how he wanted them. He assured me that he still loved me, and he did, but I always knew that apart of him resented me because he could never sire his own children with the woman he loved. So I too felt that I had failed the one person that mattered most.”

 _You could never fail in my eyes._ David thought to himself. _You are perfection in every way._  He smiled gently. “It appears that you and I might have more in common than we originally thought.”

She returned his smile. “I suppose we do.” Then she realized how close they were and suddenly remembered that he was otherwise bare under the sheet and backed away. “Well, since we’re going to be stuck on this ship together for an indefinite amount of time, let’s try and start fresh. A clean slate.” She held out her hand to him. “Friends?”

He regarded her hand with interest before taking in his own and shaking it. “Friends. I look forward to us getting to know each other better.”

“Me too.”

“Now,” He moved to gather up his suit. “If you would permit me, Dr. Shaw. I would like to further examine your wound. Just to make sure it’s not infected.”

She flushed and placed her hands on her belly. “Oh, right. Please turn around.”

David thought to point out that he has seen her unclothed before, back on the Prometheus. That he had in fact also undressed her, though she was on sedatives. But then he reminded himself that it wouldn’t be the best thing to bring up at this point. So he turned his back and pulled his suit back on. He listened for Dr. Shaw’s zipper being pulled down and the fabric slipping off her skin. She then padded behind him and lie down on the slab.

Facing her again, he looks her over to see that she's clad in only the same bandages as she had since he saw her in the medical wing. Discolored with sweat. Ignoring her stair, he leans in close to examine her stitches. The wound was still raw. Gently, he places his hands on either side of the cut and presses down gently as she lets out a hiss. “Does that hurt?”

She nodded slightly. “A little.”

He looked closer, has data analyzing the cut. “It appears that it’s become infected. Probably from the lack of insulation from the suit combined with a blow to your abdomen. I’ll need to administer an antiseptic and bandage this properly. One moment.” He went back to the main deck to retrieve the medical bag she had taken and brought it back. Rummaging through it until he found what he was looking for. “Here we are.” He unscrewed the lid and squeezed the small cream onto his index finger. “Lie still. This will sting a bit.” He dabs at the wound gently and she flinches, making him offer an apologetic smile. “Sorry.” She gestures with her chin for him to keep going. He continues along the reddened line until there’s a decent layer along the entire wound. Reaching into the medical bag and pulls out a few large adhesive pads and lays them along the line of the incision until it’s completely covered. Then he pulls out some gauze and looks to her again, “If you wouldn’t mind sitting up, please?”

She sits up gently, cringing from the pain. He takes out a roll of gauze and unrolls it, “If I may?” She nodded and lifts her arms slightly so he can wrap it around her middle. He does it once, twice, three times, and a fourth just to make sure it’s fastened. “We have enough gauze to last us for at least two weeks until we can find an alternate on this ship. This bandaging should be changed daily just to take extra caution.”

“I agree.” She presses her hand on the bandage gently and looks back up at him. “Thank you, David.”

He smiled at her again. “My pleasure.”


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Prometheus or Alien Characters.

 

**What is Wanting if One Cannot Feel?**

 

A full month had gone into their space voyage and they still weren’t any closer to their destination. But they had grown closer in...other aspects. They were now on a first name basis with each other. That was the first step. David had been teaching her the Engineers’ ancient language and their hieroglyphics so she could explore the ship on her own. And each day she began to trust him more and more. They talked a lot. Sometimes for hours on end.

One week into their excursion was all it took before Elizabeth allowed him to offer her comfort. He’d found her in the chamber where the stasis pods were kept. She was on the ground hugging her knees and weeping. Her shoulders shaking with as she cried. With caution he started towards her, to see what was making her so distressed, “Elizabeth, are you alright?” then a monitor flickered. His eyes immediately drawn to the still image of Charlie Holloway. This instantly made him feel a twinge of regret in his readings. Just when he thought they were getting closer.

“It’s not what you think.” She said without moving from her place from the floor. “At least not all of it.”

Confused, he looks back and forth between her and the image. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

With a sniff, she wipes her nose with her sleeve and got up to her feet. She walks back over to the monitor and types on the screen. “It’s a video message that Charlie made for me the day he died. I found it on an external drive that was used to backup all of our data on the Prometheus.” Her fingers swipe to the side and the video plays in a fast reverse motion. Once it stops, she presses ‘play’.

The image goes into motion and Dr. Holloway can be seen pulling his finger away from the screen. He then settles back into his chair and clears his throat. David can already note the redness in his eyes and the paleness of his kin due to the side effects of the black goo.

“This is Dr. Charlie Holloway aboard the Prometheus on LV-223. The time is…” He checks his watch. “0600 hours eastern Earth time December 26th, 2093. Hey, Ellie.” David catches the slight curl to Elizabeth’s lips. “Hopefully you’ll never have to see this. I’m making this video as more of a practice run than anything else. See, you and I have been through so much together. We’ve been all over the world. Now as of three years ago, even beyond the stars to pursue our discoveries. I would never have made it this far without you. And I’ll always be grateful for that, but see...the problem is, and this is not your fault at all, last night got me remembering how I want to have kids of my own. That you and I would never have that.” Dr. Holloway breath catches and he looks down. “After we go back to Earth we should go our separate ways. I’m sorry, baby. I love you so much. Just thinking about this breaks my heart. I want to grow old with you. But I want kids more.” He wipes away at his tears and looks back at the camera. “We can’t have that. But no matter what happens, Ellie, if you ever need anything I’ll always be there for you. You mean too much to me. I hope you’ll find someone who is stronger than me. Not as selfish. Someone who will remind you of your true potential.” He chuckled. “Son of a bitch will be lucky to have you. He’ll be a much better man for you than I ever was. Don’t give up on love, Ellie. It’ll find you where you least expect it. Thank you for everything.” The video ends there.

Neither of them says anything at first. David just stands there and observes her. Waiting for any kind of response. He was unsure of what words were appropriate for this situation. Nervous that the incorrect choice of words could have a negative impact on her emotional trauma even further.

“I had no idea he felt this way.” She finally said. He turned to her, waiting for her to continue. “All this time I thought we could get through just about anything. I guess I was wrong.” She looked down, the tears coming back. “His final words to me were ‘I love you’. Which he did. He loved me and I loved him. But it wasn’t enough.” Her knees buckled and she had to grab onto the console to keep her balance. “Even if he hadn’t of died. Even if we never came here on this mission. I would have lost him either way.”

David considered all of the possible responses that would deem appropriate. Each one seeming less convincing than the last. So he went with what he thought would suit it best. “From my observation, Dr. Holloway loved you as much as you loved him.” _Much to my envy._ “That’s why it was such a difficult decision for him. But he wanted more. Not just for himself, but for you as well.” Very gently, he places his hand on her shoulder. “He probably felt if that the two of you would end things on amicable terms, then you could both move on before the differences destroyed your relationship. You once told me that your infertility had a strain on your relationship. He might have feared that if he decided to tell you too late, then neither of you would be happy.”

She flickers her gaze from her hands to his face. “You think it’s possible?”

He nodded. “Based on my observations of Dr. Holloway, he did care for you deeply. And from the evidence of this video, it would appear that he loved you enough to let you go. He’d rather let you find happiness with someone else than grow to hate you.”

“It’s not fair!” She sobs and wraps her arms around his waist, crying into his chest.

He is at first unsure how to respond. Then his database configures how to provide the proper comfort. He wraps his arms around her small form and pulls her closer. Then he dares to rest his chin on top of her hair. The feeling...is pleasant, he decides. She fits well against him. “I think I understand Dr. Holloway a little more now.” He muses. “I too feared that you would forever hate me for my past misgivings.” Her hair smells like lavender. Lovely. “But you’ve given me the opportunity to start over. For that I am grateful.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance.” She said, muffled against his chest. “Even you, David. And despite everything, I don’t hate you for it. I don’t think I ever could now.” She pulled away from his arms, no noticing his frown, and looks down at her left hand. David then notices a glimmer on one of her fingers. Charles Holloway’s ring. “I need to let him go.” Very slowly, she pulls the ring from her finger and sets it down next to the monitor. “He’d told me once that he wanted his body to be sent out into space after he died.” She chortled in remembrance. “To be closer to our creators. But then...do you think there’s a way we could send it out there? This is all that’s left of him and I didn’t get to give him a proper burial.”

He nodded. “There’s a part of the ship where waste is ejected. We could place it there. Send it off.”

“It’s the least I can do for him.” Her words were spoken with a deep longing as she traced the ring with her finger. “And I need to move on. If I’m going to survive this, then I need to let go.” She looks up at him. “I know you are not familiar with human emotions, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would assist me. To help give a sort of service and pay my respects. Not just Charlie, but also Janek and his crew. I know this is of little relevance to you, but if you would…”

Again, he placed his hand on her shoulder. “I would be delighted to assist you, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth held a civil service for everyone that died on LV-223. Even Mr. Weyland and Meredith Vickers. Giving a proper eulogy for each of them before sending Dr. Holloway’s ring off into space. The moment it was released, David saw the instant release of tension in her shoulders. He could tell that she was finally able to forgive herself for what happened. Things got even better after that. She started opening up to him more. Talking to him often. They spent most of their time together.

At one point he’d drawn a small sketch of her. He got her attention and lifted it up to show her with a proud smile. Her eyes had widened and her cheeks blushed with flattery. This made her trust even him even more. She could see that she fascinated him, but she had no idea how much.

  


They studied the Engineers’ technology to the extreme. Learning their history. Their way of life. Their travels. All of it fascinating. Some of them even linking back to Earth more than once.

“David, look here!” Elizabeth yelled, getting his attention one day. She points to one of the monitors. On it was an image of a what looked like an ancient city. “It’s from the Indus Valley Civilization! And here!” A different image with the Foothills Mountain Complex. “There are more too. They have records of all of the ancient civilizations. Even the Mayans and the Derinkuyu!”

He leans in next to her as he read details. “It appears that the humans of these civilizations made had pleased their creators. They brought promise. Some of the Engineers even made themselves known to them and showed them even more ways to advance their way of life. It would explain the depictions that were found all over the world. Like humans, the Engineers had different “tribes” if you will. Each with the same yet different customs. One of their successful creations was a blend the DNA of engineer and other mammals. This is what brought on the appearance of mythical creatures and deities in human folklore. Take the Pagan Gods for instance.” He pressed an image on the monitor and it enlarged, showing the picture of a tall man’s body with the head of a falcon. “The God Horus of Egyptian mythology. Born from Isis, who was also a virgin. But was still impregnated by her husband Osiris after he was murdered by his brother Set.”

“How could he impregnate her _after_ he died?” Elizabeth mused. “He was torn to pieces.”

David smiled with a hint of dark humor. “Yes, she kept a piece. The piece that would⎼”

“Nevermind!” She shook her head with a groan. “I get it!”

He turned back to the monitor and kept looking over the records. “The first Egyptian God was known as Atum. He himself was an Engineer. As were the Gods in from Rome and Greece. In their folklore, they were depicted as giants that would come down from Olympus. They came to earth often and mated with humans. Making demi-gods such as Heracles and Theseus. But their constant appearances starting making things complicated and decided it was best not to interfere too much.”

                                                                                              

“Unless they found other _worthy_ civilizations.” She deduced.

“Yes, however, they were most of the separate times on other parts of the world. The Engineers feared further corruption from the humans in more ‘civilized’ cultures.” He continues to read as she scrolls down. “The Engineers knew that the human race was failing as an experiment. But there were few that reached the potential that they felt necessary. But with the rest of the humans weren’t showing as much promise. So they took such civilizations from Earth to ‘save’ them.”

“See, this is where it confuses me.” She interrupted. “Many of these civilizations were thousands of years old. Each disappearing at a different point in time and having no relation to one another. I thought the point of the black goo was meant to kill us.”

He nodded with confirmation. “Indeed it was. The humans were a failed experiment. They were poisoning the Earth’s air, water, plant life and it’s creature’s for the profit of currency. Something the Engineers didn’t believe in. They had no concept of money. Only survival and creation. Nor did they understand the conception destroying their own kind for land or genocide. The humans were wasting their gift. The Engineers would dispose of them once they were sure that there were no lingering potentials. Then they would send them off to other planets, each to a different one. So could advance in their technologies. Sometime later, they would have them mate with the Engineers, creating more morphing genetic material. This helped them in the long run to make more successful creations.”

She sighs with regret. “I think I can understand a little better now on why they wanted to kill us. But It doesn’t explain why they wanted to do it two thousand years ago.”

David scrolled down a little further and pointed at the date. “See here? The year 3BC. That was a year before the son of your God Jesus Christ was born, wasn’t it?” A woman of her faith knew her ideology from front to back.

Her brow furrows but she nods. “Yes.”

“This says here that an Engineer came to Earth and impregnated your Virgin Mary. He merely touched his finger, covered with the creative human DNA formula, to her bare abdomen. Thus she became pregnant with the Messiah. Without ever having the necessary act of intercourse with a male. The last chance for the human race. When the Jews crucified him, a seed implanted by the creators themselves, they found their answer. The human race had failed. Here, this is the last log that they made. It talks about what the hologram in the control room. They’ve landed on their base of Lv-223. Here’s where they make the black goo. It makes an estimate of when they will depart. Hmmm….it’s seems that’s all.”

“Too bad.” She mused. “Perhaps if things didn’t go so wrong when we woke the Engineer, we might have been able to show them our potential. How far we’ve come.”

He nodded. “Indeed. If Mr. Weyland hadn’t been so hasty with his questions, it’s quite possible the Engineer could have reconsidered. Then again, maybe not.”

“Maybe we can still convince them.” She said. “I mean...it’s possible.”

“Of course. Anything is.”


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Prometheus or Alien Characters.

 

**What is Wanting if One Cannot Feel?**

***Got some lemony goodness in this chapter!***

 

They learned something new every time they looked at something in the Engineers database. One day while David was configuring their coordinates, Elizabeth came running in, completely out of breath. “David, come quick!”

Startled, he leaped out of the piloting chair and took hold of her as placed her hands on her knees. “What’s wrong, Elizabeth? Please take a deep breath.”

She coughed a few times before getting her breathing back to normal. Standing up straight, she greets him with a big smile. “I’ve been looking over the history of some of the Engineer’s findings and...nevermind, come on!” She took his wrist and led him down the hall down the halls to the east end of the ship. Tapping away at the buttons in the same fashion he taught her opening the doors into the archive room that they’d discovered earlier. “Now look at this.” She pulls him over to one of the larger monitors. She started typing away on the gel keys. “As you’ve seen before, most of their annals are recorded digitally. But I found these fossils here that they kept in a separate compartment.” She pressed another button and a small compartment opened up, revealing a clear glass box. Then she grabbed one of the said fossils and showed it to him. “See? It has a similar skeleton to that of a fish on earth, but its bone structure is different. I thought it might have been a specimen from earth.” Her finger traces along the bone. “So I put it in here to verify.” she places it gently in the box, shuts it and it slides back into the compartment. “And watch carefully as the computer analyzes it. It’s not only scanning the bone but the fossilized dirt too!” The monitor starts to beep and she looks at the results. “Now I’m still not entirely familiar with their readings as you are, David, but if I’m correct, this is the exact age of the fossil.” She points at the screen. “It predates even the oldest fossils in record history.”

David looks at it in awe. “You’re analysis is correct, Elizabeth. This fossil is over ten _billion_ years old.”

“Do you know what that means, David?” She asked him with excitement.

He nods and looks at her. “Yes, it means that it predates our entire solar system.” Leaning in to look more closely. “It’s quite possible that this might have been one of the first species in its existence. Making it a direct ancestor to our engineers.”

Elizabeth covered her mouth choked back a sob. “It’s so... _unreal_. David this might be a key to the entire universe’s existence. The Engineers hold the answers. I just know it. Oh, David!” She wrapped her arms around his waist and buries her face in his chest. “One of the greatest discoveries of all time and we’re the first to have proof that it exists.”

David smiles at her for including him in her findings. He responds to her warmth be pulling her closer and holding her in his arms. “It is a miraculous discovery, Elizabeth. You’ve managed to surpass all human science. Farther than anyone in history. All on your own.”

“You wrong.” She said muffled against his chest. Her head lifted and he looked at her thoughtfully. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you, David. None of it would have been possible. It was impossible for me to get off of LV-223 on my own.” Her gaze dropped. “I was so cruel before. When Charlie died I lost all hope. I was angry, hurt...and I took it out on you. Because it was easier than realizing it was my own selfishness for finding God that got him killed. This made me no better than Miss Vickers.”

“No,” He lifted her chin up with his finger. “You mustn't blame yourself, Elizabeth. Dr. Holloway wanted to learn the truth as much as you did. Space travel is dangerous under any circumstances. He knew the risks.” He wiped away a stray tear that escaped her eye. “You are not wrong for being angry with me. I am the one they made him meet his demise in the end. Though while I felt no real loss for him, your emotional pain was regrettable.”

She blinked away a few more tears. “It was another thing Charlie and I saw differently on. Treatment of Artificial Persons. While he saw your kind for what you were, I saw you for what you looked like. Human.” A harsh sigh came out of her and she backed away. “But you’re not.” She backs out of his embrace and takes several steps back. “It’s wrong of me to forget that.”

What could only be described hurt coursed through his circuitry? But he held firm and followed her slowly. “On the contrary. It was your behavior towards me that made me feel more than what I am. I have no soul. But you make feel like I could have one. There was a reason that I enjoyed watching your dreams, Elizabeth. It was because of your love for life. Your parents. You find a purpose in everyone you meet.” He took a step closer. “You make me feel as if I have potential beyond my initial creation. You make me feel, Elizabeth.” Once he’s close enough he moved a strand of hair out of her face. “You make me _alive._ ”

Her dark eyes search his with uncertainty, but she doesn’t back away. “Is it even possible...for you to feel?”

He rests his hand on her cheek, staying as close as she’ll allow. “I told you before that ‘want’ was a concept I wasn’t familiar with. But I am now. And what I want is you.” He closes the remaining distance between them and presses his lips to hers.

                                    

Her lips are soft under his. He’d felt them once under his fingertips when he was examining her on the Prometheus. Once he’d read psychology texts that kissing was a form a test. A way to see if the partner could be a potential mate. He’d seen the kisses that she and Dr. Holloway snuck when they thought no one was looking. It made him curious. Envious. Miss Vickers never kissed him when she took him. He theorized it was because she didn’t see him as a mate. To see the emotion behind their lip movements with Elizabeth and Dr. Holloway made him want to feel the significance himself. An android cannot breed. So they have no function that requires them to have a mate. But Elizabeth, makes him want to be hers.

She doesn’t respond at first. Which could be either a negative or positive response, so he takes it a step further. He closes his eyes and takes her face in his hands as he urges her to open her mouth. She gasps and he takes the opportunity to slip his tongue passed her lips. He may not be human, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t replicate their movements. His tongue included.

She moans into his mouth as her tongue strokes along his. Her hands slowly sliding up his ribs and slipping around his back to wrap around his shoulders to pull him closer. Their bodies now molded into one.

 _We fit so perfectly together._ David thought as he continued moving his lips with hers. She was so different from other humans. As he was different from other synthetics. Neither of them belongs with their own kind. Being blocked from their true potential. _She is the ideal mate for me._

Elizabeth pulled away from him only to catch her breath, but David kept his lips on her skin. First at the corner of her mouth, then her cheek, her chin, below her jaw, and then up and down her neck. Her responses to him were a positive reaction. She was becoming aroused. Her skin forming goosebumps, her heart beating faster and her eyes were dilated. Yes, this was the correct response he wanted.

He kisses up her neck and licks behind the shell of her ear. His voice a gentle whisper, “Elizabeth, I want you. Will you let me have you?”

She sighs in bliss but shakes her head. “No, David, I won’t do that to you. It’s not right. I will not use you that way.”

He bites her earlobe and she gasps. “You won’t be doing anything I don’t want you to do, Elizabeth. Say, yes. Don’t deny yourself for what you desire.” Her resistance was getting weaker, he could feel it. “Let me make love to you.”

Her fingers have slid up his neck and tangled themselves into his hair. She resists for a little longer, and then she relaxes, “Yes…”

With great speed, he pulls her up into his arms and takes her to one of the bed chambers. He sets her down gently on the floor and she backs away gently. Her eyes stay on his as she first takes off her makeshift robe, letting it slide from her arms onto the ground. She then slips her shirt over her head, leaving her in only her intimate things.

David is silent as he watches every inch of skin reveal itself. So creamy in color, silk to the touch. Yes, he would touch it soon. Professional boundaries would no longer hold him back. She is offering herself to him. He will cherish this. Her wound had healed considerably since they boarded the ship. He’d already removed the staples since the wound was closing on its own. Now only a pink line remained.

Her knees hit the edge of the bed and she sits down gently. She pulls herself farther onto the mattress, her shallow breathing making her breasts rise and fall.

First, he takes off his boots, their thudding sounds echoing in the room. He takes hold of the zipper at his throat and pulls it down to his right. Elizabeth’s pupils dilate even further as he pulls his arms out of the suit, revealing his bare chest. His physic mimicked that of a man in good physical shape. Though artificial, it brought the attraction to female women. Many a time had he’d notice them ogling him when he was present and board meetings alongside Mr. Weyland. He sometimes he found it a nuisance because they would often distract him from his duties. Today he was grateful for his design.

Elizabeth’s mouth opened slowly as he slid the suit down the rest of his body. Her eyes following every movement, widening as he steps out revealing his girth. He slowly pads over to the bed, letting her take in all of him. Lifting one knee at a time, he crawls onto the bed towards her. As he gets closer, she lies down on her back. Soon he’s leaning over her on all fours. His arms on either side of her head with his legs over her waist. He leans down to peck her on the lips. Just a small one. Then another at the column of her throat. He traces her clavicle with his fingertips, then her breasts. In response to his touch, her pink nipples harden and get darker in color.

His fingers travel between the perfect globes down to her healing scar. He traces it gently before giving it a gentle kiss along the line. She blushes at his tenderness; making him smile. He continues his kisses down to the line of her panties. Reaching up with his fingers, he looks at her, silently asking for her permission. She nods and he proceeds to pull them down her hips, up her legs, and off her feet. She shivers; either from the cold or his stare, he does not know. She was completely bare to him. _Mine._

David settles himself between her legs and spreads them apart. Her breath catches as she sees him staring at her most intimate area. Unable to take it, she turns her head to hide her face, unwilling to show him her now reddening cheeks. He strokes her knee softly before nuzzling it, brings his lips down her leg presses a kiss to the inside of her thigh. He leans in at the apex of her thighs and kisses her clitoris. She gasps from shock and her head falls back, making him smile. He then takes a tentative lick along her labia. With no sense of taste, he can not detect anything in particular from her fluids, other than what he is doing with his tongue is helping her lubricate more.

At some point, her fingers are tangled into his hair. Her nails scratching his scalp as her moans get louder and louder with every stroke of his tongue. Licking up and down her entrance while taking special care of the bundle of nerves at the top. She lets out a yell of bliss when he takes the little bud with his lips and stuck strongly. So...swollen and sensitive. This was good. Elizabeth was very aroused and it was all thanks to him.

Once he felt she was sufficiently lubricated, he pulls away and slips his finger past her folds and strokes her opening. Her natural juices coating his digit as he teases her flesh. Then she lets out a guttural moan as he slides it into her flesh. Her hips quiver as he moves it slowly in and out. Her slicked flesh quivering as he enters a second finger. He moves his fingers in a ‘come hither’ motion. Using the pads of his fingers to stroke her smooth flesh as he finds the small bump inside of her cavern and her pelvis clenches. _There._ “Is this alright, Elizabeth?”

She nods shakily. “Yes...please don’t stop.”

He smiles and continues to move his fingers inside her, rubbing the small spot. Picking up the speed ever so slightly. Then with his thumb, presses down gently on her clitoris. Both digits striking her nerve endings with intense pleasure. Every so often she would wiggle her pelvis as he intensified the pressure. While one hand continued to stroke her nether region, the other occupied itself by stroking her breasts and tweaking one of those rosy nipples. Her fingers were curling into the blankets. Those well-sculpted breasts rising and falling with every breath she took. Her physic was exquisite. Everything about her was. Even the little mewls of pleasure that would escape her lips.

He pulls his fingers out from her heat and crawls back over her. Looking down at her flushed cheeks and now-longer her spread around her face like a dark halo. He leans down and probes her mouth open with his tongue and she sighs in bliss as she tastes herself on him. “Open your eyes.” He commanded her gently. She opens them slowly and those brown eyes looked deeply into his. So dark. With her dilated pupils, they looked almost black. Pools of ink. “You are so beautiful.” His hands slip under her back and pull her up against his chest. Proceeding to bring her onto his lap. Her eyes widen at his boldness and wrap her arms around his shoulders to steady herself. Again her stare land on his girth and she takes in a shuddering breath. She meets his gaze, and with his encouraging nod, lowers herself onto him. He slides in slowly, from the tip down to the base until he is completely engulfed in her heat. Her breath catches and she hangs her head back. Her breasts brushing against his pectorals as she leans into him.

He’s the first to make a move. His pelvis thrusts into her slowly, making her moan. He does it again. And again. Soon enough, she’s rolling her body in sync with his. Her legs tighten and she crosses her ankles behind his back, pulling him closer until they’re practically molded into one organism. Bringing him in deeper. Once certain she’s comfortable, he activates the vibration in his nether regions. She gasps in surprise and her eyes widen with shock. Her nails digging into his skin with the new sensation. He can feel her pulse quickening under his fingertips and moves faster. His thrusts meet hers with more intensity. Her arms tighten around his neck. Her breath was coming out in short pants with every thrust. Just a few more and she’s screaming out her climax in his ear. The sound makes him fall through with his own version of an orgasm. Ejaculating his synthetic fluids into her womb. For a moment he let his circuitry imagine that he was actually filling her with his seed and bearing fruit. But just for a moment.

Elizabeth falls limp in his arms, exhausted and out of breath. He lays her down gently and pulls the blankets up and over them both. As soon as he lies next to her, she lays her head on his chest. Atop where she could listen to his manufactured heart. Neither of them said anything for a long time. At one point, he’d wrapped his arm around her and started tracing the patterns in her skin on her back.

After several minutes, she looks up at him. Her eyes dreamy. “That was spectacular.”

He smiles and kissed her forehead. “I’m glad that you enjoyed it, Elizabeth.”

She bit her lip self consciously. “I noticed that you released inside me. Did you…?”

“As a robot, I am unable to feel sexual gratification. My discharge was merely a simulation built into my programming for the release of my partner. Which can be done at any given time.” Her lids lowered but he lifted her chin to look back up at him. “But witnessing your sexual release at my hands has brought me great joy.”

She smiled shyly and ducked her head into his chest. “Even when describing sex, you make it sound like an algorithm.”

“Does that trouble you?” He asked, already considering to backtrack.

“Not particularly.” She murmured, pressing a kiss to his pectoral. A small sign of affection that didn’t go unnoticed by him. “It just reminds me that you are unique.”

“But not human.” He finished for her.

She didn’t respond at first. Her thoughts traveled for a bit. At last, she said, “No, you’re not human. You’re a robot. I know that and yet, I still feel drawn to you.” She chuckled darkly. “Even though this goes against everything in nature, I don’t care. I like being close to you.”

He smiled and his hard drive computed the feeling of pride. “And I like being close to you, Elizabeth. I always have. You are unique in your own way as well, and it attracts me to you like a moth to a flame.”

She smiled again and snuggled closer. “I’m so glad you’re here with me, David. I don’t think I would have made it without you.”

He brings her hand to his face and kisses her forehead. “I love you, Elizabeth.” She gasps and pulls away. She stares at him in shock, but he stays still. “I will not deny it any longer. Be this part of my programming or my own emotions. You needn’t feel the same. But what I feel for you, I can promise, is real. I love you.”

Tears gather in her eyes as she tries to fathom his words. For a moment he’s uncertain of whether or not he’s made a mistake. Then she sniffs and offers him a calming smile. “I love you too.”

He blinks. His readings are...hopeful. “You do?”

She nodded and kisses him on the lips with less urgency, but full of compassion. “Yes. I love you, David. And I hope we get to be together for as long as possible.”

This relieves of him of the possible tension he would have faced. She didn’t reject him. She accepted him as her equal. They would never be able to truly bond. For they were two different forms of mechanisms. Hers happened to be organic to his synthetic. But it didn’t matter. She loves him. Which is more than he would ever ask. She was now his forever...


	4. Chapter 4

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Prometheus or Alien Characters.

 

**What is Wanting if One Cannot Feel?**

 

 

“What do you think it is, David?” Elizabeth asked one day as they examined the mural. Her flashlight shining along the outlines.

David follows her light and takes a closer look. Its skeletal arms are spread out as if it were being crucified. It’s thin in body weight. It’s head misshapen and parietal bone elongated as if it were stretched. “I’m not sure. Another subspecies, perhaps?”

 

 

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Although it does appear to have a similar pectoralis as a homosapien. But whatever it is, they seem to have great respect for it. Almost like a god. But I can’t read their hieroglyphs properly enough to gather on what it says. There was another one in the other ship’s cargo.”

“Here,” He points to the pedestal. “It reads… ‘ _ Three phases of life. An egg is laid, a parasite is hatched, latches to a living vessel, implants the fertilized seed, and then the larva is born. To live, it must first take a host to complete its genetic material.’ _ ”

Elizabeth rubbed her arms as they quaked with tremors. “Did you say ‘host’?”

He nodded. “Yes, so it would appear that these creatures reproduce asexually in the chest cavity.”

“Asexually?” She marveled. “Like a copperhead snake?” 

“In a sense.” He confirmed, looking back at the mural. “But it’s different. They’re not cut apart and regrown. There’s a dominant female that lays the eggs. These eggs harbor one parasitoid, and they are carriers of a single fertilized embryo each. Then they attach themselves to a living host and implant the embryo. The genetic material from both host and parasite blend together into creating a whole new organism. Which is what we see here.”

Her eyes widened. “Does it say where they come from?”

He skims through the hieroglyphs some more and shrugs. “It doesn’t really say. Their final stage of life is very short. It seems that the black goo harbors trillions of tiny microorganisms that fuse new genetic material with whatever they touch and mutate.”

“It would explain what happened to Fifield and Charlie. Then that weird snake thing they found burrowed in Millburn’s throat.” She mulled over. “But that still doesn’t really explain how this...queen, I think would be the correct term, comes to be. Because she is the one that lays the eggs, right? Huh, ‘What came first? The chicken or the egg?’”

David blinked, uncertain. “I beg your pardon?”

She chuckled softly. “It’s an argumentative question that must be as old as man. A chicken comes from an egg. But an egg comes from a chicken. No one is really sure which one came first.”

“That’s...an irrelevant argument. Especially over something so fickle.”

She rolls her eyes at him. “That may be, but you must admit. It’s a fascinating thought.”

He tilted his head. “Something so insignificant that could bring so many to their knees. It is very fascinating indeed. Little wonder why there are wars over things as religion and science.”

That made her pout. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“Forgive me,” He said more sympathetically. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

She shook her head and sighed. “It’s fine. But you can be a little blunt sometimes, David.”

He lifted her chin up with his finger. “I am trying. I want to be a good match for you, Elizabeth.”

Her lips lifted into a kind smile. “You are always trying, David. As if you are searching for my approval.”

“Oh, but I am.” He murmurs, pecking her lips. “Your approval is the only one that matters to me.”

“I don’t want you to completely change who you are just for me.” She insisted. “This relationship must go both ways. I too must make you happy.”

His hand brushes away some stray hairs from her face. “But you already do, Elizabeth. By merely allowing me to stay by your side, then into your heart, is more happiness than a synthetic such as myself can muster.”

“That’s what a partnership is.” She told him. “Being good for and to one another. I accepted once we started to pursue this romantic endeavor, that you are not human and never will be. You are much more than just a robot in my eyes but I can not stop you from functioning in ways that keep you  _ you. _ ”

“Such as I,” He says as he pulls her closer. “Have learned to well understand that you will always have moral compasses to guide you verses my installed programming. And it is what makes you so different from other humans”

She sighs and leans into his touch. “You have such a way with words.”

“That is a compliment, I hope.”

Kissing his palm, she giggles. “Yes, it is.” She pulls away and glances back towards the mural. “Now that we’ve gone off topic, let’s return to this mural.”

“Of course.” He examines it further. “Where does the queen come from?”

“Perhaps it likes insects such as bees and ants. They are the only ones in their colonies able to lay fertilized eggs. But it possible that this queen doesn’t even need a mate.” She deduces. She takes looks at the carving of one of the eggs. “Perhaps a queen parasitoid is laid randomly at some point. It must be different from all of the others. Like a drone bee versus a worker bee.”

“It would seem logical enough. But there’s no real way to find out.”

“Wait!” She said, her face going pale. “The fetus. It...it...was….” She was starting to hyperventilate. “I...can’t...I can’t breathe!” Her knees buckled and collapsed under her weight.

“Elizabeth!” David caught her before she could meet the ground. Immediately lifting her into his arms and taking her out of the cargo hold. He sets her down gently on one of the chairs at the console and rubs his fingers on the smooth skin of her sternum. “Try taking deep breaths. Slowly, in and out.” He performed the breathing exercise with her. It took a few seconds, but eventually, she was breathing in harmony with him. Once her color returned, he brought a glass of water.

She took it, offering him a thankful glance before drinking the entire cup of its contents. “I’m sorry about that, David.”

He continued to analyze her breathing and heartbeat. Her pulse was still somewhat erratic. “Please tell me what you were thinking about that made you react in such a way. You mentioned the fetus.”

“When you talked about how these parasites lay eggs in a living host, it got me thinking.” Her arms shook as she shivered. “Before the Engineer came for me in the Vickers’ pod, I heard a sound come from the medical bay and went to investigate from the window. The medical pod was empty and I’d left the extracted fetus there and had it contained. I thought I’d killed from the decontamination function. But then a giant tentacle banged against the window. I didn’t have enough time to look further before you called me and told me that the Engineer was coming. Of course, by that time, it had already found me and was breaking in. I didn’t have to hold it off for long because I unlocked the medical bay door and that same tentacle pulled it off me. Unfortunately, we both went down in the struggle and the Engineer landed right on my still-fresh scar.” She rubbed her abdomen absently. “That...thing was huge. It was bigger than the Engineer. Despite his great strength, he was no match for it. It pulled him closer until some smaller tentacles wrapped around its head, holding him still. Another appendage comes out and then forces itself into his mouth. Only then did he give up the fight. He collapsed as it wrapped itself around him as close as it could.” She shook her head. No doubt trying to clear the memory. “What if what that fetus was was a mutated version of what we just read on the mural? And it laid something inside of him?”

                                                                                                                                             

David thought back to when he first glanced at the droplet of black goo. Inside he could see millions of microorganisms. Knowing that speaking of Mr. Holloway’s demise was still a sore spot for her, he had to try. “It’s quite possible that Dr. Holloway’s semen was replaced with a similar gene with what creates the same eggs as the creatures we saw in the mural. But it was done by fertilization instead of that of an  oviparous.”

“If your translation of the hieroglyphs is correct, David, then it’s quite possible that we left one of those  _ things  _ back on LV-223.” She hid her face in her hands. “What have I done?”

His eyes narrowed with uncertainty. “What do you mean, Elizabeth?”

She lifted her head, her fiery gaze met with his. “Don’t you understand? I knew that that thing would certainly kill the Engineer. I couldn’t do it, I was too weak. So I unleashed it so I could get away. Not even considering what might happen. Now after learning what we just found out, it means that there probably some monster roaming loose around out there. And it’s my fault!”

He took hold of her arms to prevent her from hurting herself. “You did what you had to survive.”

“But at what cost, David?” She sobbed. “I unleashed something horrible and unstable. Who knows what havoc that thing will wreak?”

He lets go of her arms and pulls her into his chest, placing his chin atop her head. Her dark hair tickling his nose sensors. “That planet is completely barren, Elizabeth. The creature will wonder for a while until will eventually die of hunger.”

“But what if it doesn’t?” She insisted. “There are several creatures out there that can survive for weeks without food or water. What if this is one of them? I left a message warning others to stay away from that planet. But what if they investigate it anyway?”

“Hush now.” He tells her gently. “Their final stage of life is very short. Probably less than a month. It won’t be for years before someone crosses that planet again. You don’t need to worry about that, Elizabeth. I promise you.”

“It’s just the thought that I…” She sniffed. “ _ I _ am the reason for that thing! I brought it into the world and I let it kill another living being so I could get away. Not even considering the consequences of what it could have unleashed.”

He places a gentle hand to her cheek. “If anyone is to be blamed, it is I. It was me who infect Dr. Holloway. I never anticipated the possibilities of what would happen if you two performed intercourse.”

“You were acting on orders.” She sniffed. “But you know the worse part?” He waited patiently. “That thing is the closest thing to a child I will ever bare. Even when I got it out of me, when I saw its misshapen form, when it was being pulled out, I still had that strange feeling of...awe. That I brought life into existence.”

 

 

She snorted. “Of course the moment was very short-lived because when it burst from the embryonic sac it tried to attack me.”

Moving some hair from her face, he says, “I can never apologize enough.”

“Even though I was terrified of it, I can’t help but still think that thing had my DNA. It’s half of me. But…”

“You wanted a child that was what you envisioned. A blend of genetic material between you and your mate.” David’s hard drive put together an image of the scenario in the mix of his and Elizabeth’s physical features. If he actually had DNA. “The idea of you and I creating a child together makes me feel...prideful”

She chuckled lightly. “Oh, David, you’re as sterile as I am.”

“But imagine it.” He continues. “There’s been similar science done. Picture us implanting a surrogate with your egg, fertilized by sperm from a man identical to me. The child would be a mixture of both of us. And we would love it unconditionally.”

She kissed his forehead. “Why bother with all that? We could adopt a child that already exists.”

He smiles. “Any child with you, Elizabeth, would be a joy in itself.”


End file.
